Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Scaling Back on Shopping

I am trying my hardest not to shop. It is very difficult. Lord knows I get a good portion of my self-confidence from how fabulous I look. But that has to change. If you are having issues with shopping, here are some tips from The Great American Apparel Diet.

-Shop slower- before you take the plunge to buy that dress that looks oh-so fabulous on you, take a second in the mirror and ask, “Do I really need this? Where can I wear this to?”

-If your closet is reverting back to its overflowing chaos, you might not be in love with all the purchases you’ve made. Make the distinction if it is love you feel with that piece of clothing in the dressing room or fleeting emotions of lust.

-If said item could be a love potential, leave it and walk away. Get a change of scenery, take a breather from the fluorescent lights in the stores. If you are still thinking about it an hour later, it will be worth the trip back to the store to buy it.

-Know your shopping needs -take inventory of your closet often. Know what it seriously getting worn through and if you can salvage it or if it is indeed time to go out and buy a replacement.

-Take your time picking out your outfit for the day, even if you need to do it the night before. Appreciate how great that blazer hugs those fabulous curves or how the color of your top brings out your eyes. What you’ve got in your closet is probably all the right stuff.

-Limit your shopping intake to once a month. No more needless meandering around the mall and classifying it as “exercise”. Now we are shopping with a purpose in mind.

-If it feels like it could be one of those high-threat-of-unnecessary-spending-days, leave the credit card at home. Pay for things in cash- it’s easier to monitor your spending through the day on only things you really need.

-If you slip to a crazy extent and splurge on the jeans, coat, cashmere sweaters and jacket you just “had to have” that one day (knowing full well you didn’t need it), it’s okay. Just hop back on that horse. If you feel the need, you can even do a mini one month diet to get back on track.

-Be wary of “Sale” signs/stickers/tickets/events/tags/coupons. Even with a great bargain attached to it, is it as fabulous as you are and does it do your wardrobe justice? Remember, 30% off should never be a product’s best feature.

-Quality over quantity! We want clothes that will last for years to come. Things that are too trendy or poorly made are not on our “need” list.

-After you wash your clothes, hang them up to dry, it will make them last longer. If you take care of your clothes, they will take care of you.

-Look for other ways of spending your hard earned free time. Spending time with friends or family, volunteering or taking a class to learn a new trade can be much more rewarding and fulfilling than shopping.